ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Locating LGBTIQ+ youth in the archive: Telling new stories for belonging. This project aims to produce the first study of LGBTIQ+ youth in Australia’s past and investigate what these histories mean to LGBTIQ+ youth today. We will generate new knowledge of Australian LGBTIQ+ history and links between historical knowledge and wellbeing in relation to LGBTIQ+ youth. Working with LGBTIQ+ youth we will also develop new archival storytelling techniques, theorising archives as ‘laboratories of belonging’. In doing so, the project forges links between cultural studies of storytelling, LGBTIQ+ youth studies and Australian history. Benefits include innovations in reparative historical methodologies, new resources for the GLAM, youth and education sectors and improvements in LGBTIQ+ youth wellbeing. Field of research: 2002 - Cultural Studies Despite recent progress in LGBTIQ+ rights, research with LGBTIQ+ youth has shown starkly worsening indicators of health and wellbeing. Our study will investigate innovative interventions that combine LGBTIQ+ youth history with storytelling workshops to improve young people's sense of belonging and wellbeing. Australian LGBTIQ+ youth history remains as yet untold. This silence contributes to the sense of isolation that many LGBTIQ+ youth experience: knowledge of your community's past is important to your sense of belonging in the present, and your capacity to envision a future. Our study starts the important work of writing LGBTIQ+ youth into our national history by conducting new archival research into LGBTIQ+ youth in the past and connecting youth to this history by sharing these stories with them. By studying the impact of this knowledge on LGBTIQ+ youth wellbeing, social and cultural benefits of our study include: enabling LGBTIQ+ youth to see themselves in our history; promoting public awareness of these histories; and producing resources to inform work in youth services and public history settings.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Parametric VR: An Interactive Virtual Reality System for Parametric Design. This project aims to create a new and intuitive set of user interactions for Virtual Reality (VR) to support parametric designers in architecture and design. Parametric tools are an emerging design technology dominating contemporary practices, yet their interfaces are on traditional desktop computers while VR is only employed to visualise the geometric models produced by the end design. This project will generate Parametric VR, a system of VR tools to support parametric design. Key outcomes include software tools and demonstrators to support parametric algorithms and processes in VR. This will have significant benefits for design industries, allowing designers to directly edit parametric design entirely in VR across the project lifecycle. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing This project will advance the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industries through the creation of new Virtual Reality (VR) design and visualisation tools. This new generation of tools will facilitate innovative design methods and interactions to support improving new design techniques and project workflows, ultimately leading to novel designs and improved building performances. The application of VR will enable architects, specialist building consultants and clients to 1) improve their understanding of designs by being immersed in it at the real scale, and 2) enhance their ability to virtually prototype new buildings and streamline the design process, improving design quality and creativity. The project will provide Australia with a clear technological advantage for creating state-of-the-art and high-performance building designs, leading to improved living environments and experiences. The technologies developed from the project will place Australia at the forefront of design innovation and will support the growth of the VR software industry in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Pumping up the volume on sound-light interactions. This project aims to create a new class of integrated microwave information processors on a single optical chip. Using electro-acoustic coupling in semiconductors, we expect to reduce optical power requirements hundredfold, enabling the emergence of practically deployable processors using ordinary telecom lasers. The expected project outcomes are inexpensive, compact, stable and energy efficient microwave photonic processors, a key requirement for reference standards and precision measurements of time and frequency. This technology has the potential to create a multitude of opportunities for commercial development in the fields of defence, information security, autonomous vehicles, sensing, and ultra-high bandwidth mobile communications. Field of research: 0906 - Electrical and Electronic Engineering This project will pioneer new photonic chip simulation, design and fabrication capabilities to bring together the worlds of radio frequency engineering and optoelectronics. These capabilities will enable rapid creation of precision microwave photonic circuit chips with a clear path to scale up manufacture in Australia. This mix of capabilities has high potential for commercialisation and the intellectual property will be protected, creating opportunities for licensing and start-up ventures. The rapid prototyping of such chips will be offered as an accessible service to Australian and international industries as part of a new Australian industry capability. The expected benefits will be a greater adoption of photonic technologies in Australian products and quicker innovation cycles, particularly for applications in sensing and spectroscopy, quantum technologies, and the next generation of microwave and wireless communications (5G & 6G).

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Artisanal making and the future of small-scale local production. Small-scale local production is essential to Australia’s post-COVID social and economic recovery. Employing a mixed methods approach, this project aims to identify the consumer identities, decision-making and sustainable artisanal production models underpinning contemporary demand for locally made goods. Moving innovatively beyond binaries of production/consumption and individual production sectors, the project expects to generate vital new knowledge about how markets for small-scale Australian production can be expanded. Expected outcomes of this project include the generation of robust data to inform strategies that will benefit operators in remaining competitive and support the development of new and emerging artisanal businesses. Field of research: 2002 - Cultural Studies Successful local food and small-scale manufacturing industries are essential to Australia’s COVID-19 recovery. This project will provide existing and emerging businesses, policymakers, and local and regional governments with robust data about the strategies required to assist existing operators to remain competitive, and to support the development of new businesses. This new knowledge will be especially beneficial for those Australian states and regions where a comparative lack of large industry and predominance of small-to-medium enterprises means that a refocusing on local production is crucial for economic growth. It will save money, time (individuals, business and government) and other resources by enabling more targeted initiatives based on the actual needs of, and markets for, Australian small-scale producers. With compelling stories of local making a key pillar of regional tourism efforts, it will also provide new knowledge about the role of the local turn in revitalising regional tourism.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

New Techniques for New Physics Searches at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. This project aims to break new ground in the quest to discover the existence of new fundamental constituents of nature. In order to achieve this, the team will invent and deploy a suite of advanced machine learning and anomaly detection techniques, developed by the chief investigators, to mine the data processed and collected with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider throughout the entirety of the next data taking run. Expected outcomes of this project include the first application of revolutionary anomaly detection methods to fundamental physics, probing unexplored space in the process, and enhancing the capacity and development of future leaders in Australian science and technology at the forefront of data analytics. Field of research: 0202 - Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics This project will develop new electronics and machine learning methods to discover new particles at the Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator at CERN. The key benefits come from the technology; we will make an extremely sensitive system for detecting tiny anomalies, with immediate applications in telecommunications, financial services, data analytics, and the protection of key Australian assets through improved cybersecurity. We will disseminate our results to Australian industry through our collaborative networks, including DST. An additional benefit is cultural – we will position Australian science at the forefront of the international quest for Nobel-worthy physics discoveries and will disseminate this to the wider public using the media experience of our CIs. We will train a new generation of students in these techniques, enhancing Australia’s nascent data science industry that the recent CSIRO artificial intelligence roadmap predicted will require 161,000 new specialized workers by 2030, contributing $315 billion to the Australian economy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Investing in ecological portfolios: retaining migratory strategies of fish. In finance, investors minimize risk and optimize long term returns by building stock portfolios with different attributes. This contingency strategy also occurs in ecological systems. We will use portfolio effects as a conceptual model to characterise the poorly known sub-population variations in migratory strategies of estuarine fish and their response to environmental conditions. In doing so, we will determine how environmental change drives variations in migratory strategies, impacts long-term growth and population trophic web dynamics. Outcomes will foster novel and dynamic management frameworks that enhance population stability despite the predicted volatility of environmental conditions. Field of research: 0602 - Ecology The proposed research aims to understand migratory strategies of estuarine fishes and their response to environmental change across southern Australia. Two commercially and recreationally important fish species, black bream and mulloway, will be used to (1) examine population asynchrony based on fisheries catch data, (2) the portfolio of migratory strategies that allow populations to persist despite changing or unfavourable environmental conditions and (3) assess implications for growth of fish. Maintaining variation in life history characteristics such as migratory strategies drives long term population stability, and therefore is essential for sustainable and resilient fisheries management. Developing a portfolio approach will also create opportunities to safeguard estuarine populations and ascertain how climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, along with overfishing may affect populations. These estuarine species are economically important to regional communities attracting people for fishing opportunities thereby providing additional social benefits including jobs.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Multifunctional Structural Panels for Next-generation Infrastructure. This project aims to develop a multifunctional prefabricated structural panel for current and future infrastructure applications for both land and offshore environments. Prefabrication enables enhanced product control as well as the ability to rapidly construct whole structures or their components. The panels utilise an inner lightweight foam and fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite core with strong outer panels made from FRP sheets and high-strength concrete. The expected outcomes include experimental and numerical validation of the system, that will give designers and asset owners the confidence to adopt this new panel. The panel system presents an upward step change in construction technology and built infrastructure performance. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering The built environment importantly sustains our way of life and our ability to generate economic benefit for individuals and Australia. This project seeks to develop a new construction product, namely a structural panel system that can be tailored to suit a wide range of infrastructure types, such as permanent and temporary buildings and bridges, for land and off-shore environments. Economic benefit will be provided to asset owners and the construction industry via reduced construction times and long-life structures due to several key aspects of the panel system, namely being prefabricated, lightweight, strong, durable and energy efficient. There will also be environmental and social benefits to the Australian community by the respective efficient use of high-performing materials with high quality control in manufacture, as well as the safe and resilient nature of the panel system. The project directly addresses the Practical Research Challenge ‘Resilient Urban, Rural and Regional Infrastructure'.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Novel isotope techniques to explore the Centralian Superbasin, Australia. This project will leverage new advances in analytical instrumentation and isotope techniques to generate improved geochronological and stratigraphic framework for the Centralian Superbasin, a vast ancient depositional system covering much of central Australia. The project aims to apply novel laser-based dating of sedimentary rocks, coupled with metal isotope proxy reconstructions of the basin’s palaeogeography, hydrological connectivity and past redox conditions, which are all critical parameters to guide and de-risk future exploration of sediment-hosted resources in this frontier basin. Anticipated outcomes will benefit Australia's resources economy, while providing insights into the evolution of Earth’s surface environment in deep time. Field of research: 0403 - Geology The project has the potential to generate large economic benefits for Australia by developing knowledge and datasets that will transform exploration for energy and mineral resources in the vast and currently under-explored Centralian Superbasin. This basin has demonstrated energy, critical minerals and subsurface gas storage potential, but exploration in this frontier basin system is hampered by general lack of spatially and temporally resolved data and geochronological constraints. This project leverages recent advances in analytical instrumentation to generate new isotope datasets to constrain the basin's long-term evolution and resource framework via novel dating of sedimentary rocks and proxy-based reconstructions. The methods to be employed will be equally applicable to exploring for energy and metal resources in other sedimentary basins in Australia or overseas. In addition, the project outcomes will also contribute to better understanding of past Earth's surface environment and its evolution during a critical interval recording the rise of atmospheric oxygen and the emergence of first animal life.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

A closed-loop human–agent learning framework to enhance decision making. This project aims to design a foundational human–agent learning framework to augment the decision making process, using reinforcement and closed-loop mechanisms to enable symbiosis between a human and an artificial-intelligence agent. It envisages significant new technologies to promote controllability and efficient and safe exploration of an environment for decision actions – drastically boosting learning effectiveness and interpretability in decision making. Expected outcomes will benefit national cybersecurity by improving our understanding of vulnerabilities and threats involving decision actions, and by ensuring that human feedback and evaluations can help prevent catastrophic events in explorations of dynamic and complex environments. Field of research: 0801 - Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing This project will conduct seminal cross-disciplinary research to build a foundational closed-loop human–agent learning framework to enhance decision making. By tackling challenges in the design of the artificial-intelligence agent, and developing human–agent networks with closed-loop mechanisms, it aims to deliver theoretical foundations and frontier technical solutions to the computational intelligence and human–computer interaction communities, enhancing Australia’s research competitiveness. Supporting excellent research training for PhDs, the project is expected to attract national and international talent to contribute to Australia’s skill base. Because human–agent learning is an essential aspect of most ecosystems – such as defence, social networks, finance, supply chains, agriculture, the environment – success in this project should yield a vastly improved decision-making infrastructure, toward a trustworthy environment for the enormous volumes of cyber internet and physical-sensor data that are indispensable to information and communication technologies in Australia and internationally.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells with Novel Perovskite-based Cathode. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 and steam to value-added fuels in a high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is practically promising, but technologically challenging. This project aims to develop next generation SOECs using a perovskite-based cathode and scale-up engineering for rapid, bulk production of H2, CO and syngas fuels. Expected outcomes include material engineering, new knowledge on energy conversion technology, and advanced manufacturing technologies. The success of the project will provide a practical solution to reduce fossil CO2 emissions and potential technology for hydrogen production. These will significantly aid Australia in important climate goals and ambitions. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering Australia has an ambitious renewable energy target for 2023, which this project will address by developing and producing a new generation of fuel cells called Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs). These have the potential to produce large amounts of “green” hydrogen and “clean” syngas fuels without CO2 emissions. Currently the efficiency of these systems is low, but with an Australian industry partner we will develop more efficient SOECs that will allow better conversion and storage of intermittent renewable energies such as wind and solar power. By increasing availability of green fuel sources, and also making them more reliable across regions on demand, Australia can realistically increase future use of electric vehicles. In the shorter term, this research will also make our local manufacturing in this field more technologically and economically advanced, to secure Australia’s global leadership in this area.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Harnessing dynamic materials to produce better heterogeneous catalysts. This project aims to investigate an emerging class of catalysts featuring dynamic reaction sites using innovative computational chemistry methods. The capability of traditional materials has reached a performance status quo for many catalytic reactions. Dynamic materials may unlock a new dimension in catalyst design; however, their influence on reactivity is unclear, and the combination of materials and dynamics represents an immense parameter space. This project expects to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding dynamic catalytic processes. Expected outcomes of this project include the identification of specific materials and dynamics that achieve extraordinary efficiency for the benefit of sustainable chemical production. Field of research: 0303 - Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry The global market growth for chemical processes is driven by the development of new materials and there are increasing requirements of purity and efficiency in the chemical industries. This innovative project lies at the cutting-edge of contemporary international research into stimuli-responsive materials and new heterogeneous catalysts. It will assess the ability of new materials to perform a variety of industrial transformations with improved efficiency. The enhanced performance of these materials will strengthen the economic viability of Australian chemical production and the development of this emerging technology could underpin the growth of Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability. New catalytic processes, investigated in this project, expand Australia's research capacity and are vital to transition the economy towards value-add industries, securing jobs for Australians into the future. The science described in the proposed work builds upon a solid foundation of preliminary results and expands the application of fascinating materials to new exciting directions.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Ytterbium fibre laser with diamond: new laser threshold magnetometry method. This project aims to create a novel class of hybrid optical fibres that open new vistas for magnetic field detection at ambient temperatures in noisy environments. The multidisciplinary project will develop the first fibre laser threshold magnetometry platform that breaks through diamond magnetometry sensitivity limits by cross-cutting established fibre laser technology with the new diamond-glass fibres and magnetometry concepts recently invented by the investigators. Envisaged significant benefits include non-invasive detection of magnetic fields in hard-to-access regions, an area of key interest for remote detection of submarines, early sensing of aircraft corrosion, deep brain imaging of neuronal activities and mineral exploration. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering An optical fibre platform for magnetic field sensing in typical hard-to-access and sensitive areas is expected to yield significant economic, strategic and social benefits in critical areas of Australia, including: *Mineral and energy resource exploration where magnetic field detection using thin and long fibres, which can be readily deployed down a hole, could help resource explorers detect smaller signals from valuable deeper targets. *Defence and Security where early detection of the weak magnetic fields during corrosion in a non-invasive way in hard-to-access region of aircrafts and ships would generate significant cost-savings. Other key applications are persistent seabed surveillance for threat mitigation of unmanned underwater vehicles and long-range undersea sensors for tracking submarines and ships in complex environments. *Biology where deep brain sensing of neuronal activities via detecting weak magnetic field signals could lead to advancing our understanding of the function of the nervous system and improve early diagnostics of neurological disorders and traumatic brain injury and epilepsy.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Multiscale modelling of systems with complex microscale detail. In modern science and engineering many complex systems are described by distinctly different microscale physical models within different regions of space. This project is to develop systematic mathematical and computational methods for the compact and accurate macroscale modelling and computation of such systems for application in industrial research and development. Our sparse simulations, justified with mathematical analysis, use small bursts of particle/agent simulations, PDEs, or difference equations, to efficiently evaluate macroscale system-level behaviour. The objective is to accurately interface between disparate microscale models and establish provable predictions on how the microscale parameter spaces resolve at the macroscale. Field of research: 0102 - Applied Mathematics Computational experimentation is frequently used as a predictive tool in engineering and science. Compared to traditional experimentation, numerical simulations are extremely cost effective and access a far greater parameter range. However, detailed simulations are constrained by the overwhelming complexity of many modern microscale models and cannot permit a full solution within a realistic time frame. Multiscale modelling avoids ineffective simulations of the full microscale model and instead extracts only those features of the microscale model which manifest at the system-level scale relevant to engineers and scientists. This project focuses on equation-free multiscale modelling which differs from other multiscale techniques in that it is a purely computational scheme, requiring no prior algebraic manipulation or analysis of the microscale model. Because equation-free schemes do not require a substantial analysis of underlying mathematical processes, and are readily adaptable to different physical scenarios, they will prove to be practical and cost-effective tools for industrial research and development.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Garnet speed dating: Innovation for fast tectonic problem solving. This project aims to develop and apply a novel way to rapidly date the mineral garnet within rocks using the analytical technique of laser ablation mass spectrometry to calculate Lutetium-Hafnium ages. Garnet is the most important mineral we have to determine the depths of burial and the temperatures rocks experienced during the tectonic processes that shaped the continents. Our novel in situ laser ablation method will allow garnet to be rapidly and easily dated, permitting routine collection of large age datasets for tectonic problem solving. It will also offer a rapid means to determine ages of garnet-bearing rocks across prospective mineral exploration regions, providing explorers with key exploration data. Field of research: 0403 - Geology Understanding Australia's tectonic history is critically important to the national benefit. Tectonic activity is the primary control on the formation of mineral resources. One ingredient to improving mineral exploration success is development of new analytical methods that provide fast and cost effective information about the geological character of the crust. This project will develop "garnet speed dating", a method for lightning fast isotopic dating of garnet. Garnet is the most important mineral for determining how temperatures varied with depth as our continent evolved. These temperature and depth variations hold essential information about the tectonic environment in which rocks form. Determining the age of these rocks allows reconstruction of ancient tectonic environments, an essential step in predicting the location of mineral resources. The project will explore questions such as when and how the different parts of Australia came together, the answers to which are essential to better understand the nature of Australia's geology and its contained resource endowment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Evolutionary dynamics in deep time: faunal turnover during the Ediacaran. This project aims to investigate the world’s oldest faunal succession in the fossil record by determining the presence and extent of a sedimentary gap and confirming the role of time in the control of fossil distribution. Significant breakthroughs and capacity building are expected in the areas of palaeontology, evolutionary biology and geology using a hitherto unrecognised hiatus in the rock succession. Project outcomes include enhanced understanding of the first animal communities on Earth – these should provide significant benefits, such as revealing Australia's unique record of oldest complex organisms, while bringing additional tourism to the region, and increasing the strength of the Flinders Ranges UNESCO World Heritage nomination. Field of research: 0403 - Geology Fossils and the story of early animal evolution fascinate many, as does the raw beauty of the Flinders Ranges; a region responsible for contributing $460 million annually (2019 figures) to Australia’s economy. This project will deepen understanding of the exceptionally important fossil heritage found in the Flinders Ranges, an area of which was recently acquired by the SA state government due to its unique scientific significance as one of the best places on Earth to demonstrate the world's earliest animal faunas. In the short term, advanced new knowledge gained in this project will inform conservation agencies and local leaders on the long-term care and preservation of the area. In the longer term, cementing the uniqueness of these sites is expected to support the growth of tourism (particularly the burgeoning geotourism sector) and drive regional development, resulting in economic benefit. Project outcomes will contribute to the case for the Flinders Ranges to be recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site; a status that would only amplify the potential of that growth.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Safe and Reliable Solid-State Zinc Batteries. The project aims to design and fabricate a new-type of flexible and durable solid-state zinc-based battery with satisfactory energy density and long-term lifespan for scalable energy storage. A variety of novel electrode materials and solid-state electrolytes with desirable crystallographic and thermodynamic properties will be developed to construct flexible solid-state zinc battery systems, by combining advanced material engineering, in-situ instrumental techniques, and atomic-level computation - an interdisciplinary approach. The successful completion of this project will be of great significance for low-cost, safe and reliable energy storage technology – the key energy and environmental challenges facing today’s Australia and the world. Field of research: 0912 - Materials Engineering This project will harness Australia’s abundant Zn, Fe and Mn resources to develop flexible solid-state zinc-based batteries (SSZBs) for safe and reliable energy storage. It will lead to opportunities for the utilization of SSZBs in the upcoming large-scale smart electricity grids, and thereby place Australia at the forefront of the safe solid-state battery industry and significantly spur Australia’s energy revolution from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The project will pursue innovations in clean energy techniques for electricity storage devices. Success will pave the way for advanced technological solutions to the conversion and storage of intermittent renewable energies with high energy density, that are low-cost, safe, easy to store and transport, and more socially acceptable. The project will also support increasingly the viability of Australia’s industry to create new markets and supply chains as an energy exporter, with expansion of Australian industries and employment.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Paradigm Shift in Mid-IR Fibre Laser. This project introduces a paradigm shift in 3.5µm mid-IR fibre lasers. A new laser process will be investigated to obtain high-power, simple and robust mid-IR fibre laser design. We will use advanced spectroscopy to characterize the fibre laser dynamics, computer modelling to optimize the laser design, and demonstrate the concept experimentally. The new design will enable agile, high precision polymer processing tailored to the unique absorption lines of carbon-hydrogen bonds in different polymers where there is currently a lack of high power, high brightness low-cost light sources. It will also open the door for very high-resolution laser assisted glass 3D-printing. The project will give Australia a new edge in advanced manufacturing. Field of research: 0205 - Optical Physics This project outcome will be a new paradigm in the design of high-power fibre optic-based laser that operate in the mid-infrared. The new design will enable agile, high precision polymer processing and open the door for very high-resolution laser assisted glass 3D-printing. Novel laser techniques will be explored generating new scientific breakthroughs as well as enabling new methods for advanced manufacturing of plastics, polymers and glasses. Most importantly, the project will contribute to the training of future employees of the Space, Defence and Advanced Manufacturing sectors which are an increasingly important part of the Australian economy and the South Australian economy in particular, giving Australia a new edge in advanced manufacturing.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Levitated Quantum Optomechanics with Trapped, Rotating Microparticles. This project will develop techniques for trapping, rotating and cooling microscopic particles in vacuum for exquisitely accurate studies of sensors and of fundamental physics at the classical-quantum interface - namely quantum vacuum friction. It will result in the establishment of an internationally recognised activity in rotational levitated optomechanics and expand Australia's presence in the field of quantum photonics. It has the potential for commercial benefit in areas including photonics, sensors and advanced manufacturing Field of research: 0205 - Optical Physics The proposed work will use quantum control of the center-of-mass motion of a levitated nanoparticle (a solid-state object of few hundred nanometers and upwards) in ultra-high vacuum by using optical forces. The work will build on the Chief investigator's cutting-edge expertise in photonics, nanotechnology, optoelectronics, and quantum technology. The ability to cool and couple such particles will also give rise to ultrahigh sensing accuracies, with applications in inertial force sensing and measurements of short-range interactions (quantum friction). The grant will enhance the skill set in ECRs in Australia in this field. A recent Industry Review (Lighting Economic Growth 2020) stated that the Australian photonics-based industry sector accounts for around A$4.3B of economic activity, similar in size to Australian dairy production, and the mining and construction equipment sector, and employs nearly 10,000 people in 465 companies. A vast range of instruments used in imaging and sensing depend on lasers, microscopy and optical detection systems. We can be significantly inspire a new cohort of researchers.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Undocumented Migrants- Unearthing Knowledge on a Key Source of Farm Labour. The Australian horticulture industry has endemic labour challenges, both in terms of labour supply challenges and a systemic problem of non-compliance with labour standards. A core component of both problems is the entrenched reliance on undocumented migrants. Given complex supply chains transiting fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm to the consumer, undocumented workers are largely invisible. There is very little research on undocumented workers on farms. Addressing this critical Australian and international knowledge gap, this project is the first study to comprehensively analyse the role of undocumented migrants in the horticulture industry from a multi-stakeholder approach, involving government, employers and workers. Field of research: 1801 - Law This project responds to a need identified in the Federal Government’s National Agriculture Workforce Strategy which found that undocumented migrants are a critical, yet hidden, component of Australia’s harvest workforce. This industry-driven project will uncover how undocumented migrants gain access to work on farms and remain undetected. It will also identify on-going labour challenges faced by farmers and how third-parties, including labour-hire contractors and accommodation providers contribute to the hire of undocumented migrants in the harvest workforce. The project will generate a new regulatory and policy framework for improving compliance with labour and immigration laws in order to enable farmers to access a lawful and regulated harvest workforce. Addressing labour challenges caused by the reliance on undocumented migrants will improve the horticulture industry’s economic performance and address labour-related crop loss and contribute to food security in Australia.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Closing the Gap in Pipe Condition Assessment using Hydro-Acoustic Waves. Worldwide, the deterioration of water distribution pipeline infrastructure is driving an unsustainable explosion in maintenance and repair costs. In collaboration with industry leader Detection Services, this project will develop new methods to detect pipe condition faults at a scale and precision not currently possible. The outcome will be an advanced, yet practical, technology that provides critical information on pipe condition using new innovative active hydro-acoustic signal generators and sensors, combined with state-of-the-art signal analysis methods. The unprecedented cost-effectiveness of the technology will ensure a broad use in the water industry for targeted and efficient action, creating jobs and saving costs. Field of research: 0905 - Civil Engineering Australia’s public health and economic prosperity rely on the effective operation of over 162,000 km of water mains. Current water asset management is reactive, as buried pipe renewal programs are not adequately guided by factual detailed pipe health information. This unsustainable practice brings a major challenge: almost half of all assets, with a total value of over $80b, will need to be replaced in the coming three decades. Efficiently determining the condition of buried pipe infrastructure is highly complex. The project will develop new condition assessment techniques that are significantly more affordable and effective than existing technologies. The enhanced cost-effectiveness will result in broader adoption of the technology in the water industry, guiding predictive repair, avoiding disruptive events, and saving millions of dollars from annual maintenance costs. Cities will see fewer pipe breaks, meaning less interruption to service and traffic, less property damage and less water loss. Australia will become a leader in this transferable technology, which has commercial potential globally.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Situating care: Addressing obesity in disadvantaged communities . The project aims to drive an urgently needed shift from top-down interventions that focus on obesity as an individual problem of diets and exercise, to collective solutions of care generated by families for families, empowering social change at a local, community level. In collaboration with Australia’s leading designers of social innovation, this anthropology project expects to generate new knowledge about care and food practices in disadvantaged communities, and to construct new digital, policy, and program frameworks for broader adaptation. The advances are likely to have a strong bearing on how obesity interventions, and more equitable health policy and practice, evolve in Australia and internationally. Field of research: 1601 - Anthropology Australia urgently needs better interventions to reduce obesity that causes costly and life-limiting chronic diseases. We aim to move obesity management away from a “medical model” that focusses only on bodyweight. Instead, our new program will be developed and led by families within seriously disadvantaged Australian communities, and it will be delivered by people who understand first-hand the difficult social factors, like whether families have income to buy food, and other stressors like mental health and domestic violence. By participating in the design of a new model of care that is specific to their local, cultural issues, residents and community members can provide solutions and support that are more likely to work and will be accepted. We will make these authentic, practical ideas and peer-support solutions accessible in easy-to-understand formats like podcasts and videos, which will ultimately be built into existing obesity policies and programs across the country.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Breeder-ready genetic tools for sustaining wheat yields under heat stress. Yield losses in wheat due to heat stress are increasing with climate change, driving an urgent need for new heat-tolerant varieties; however, few resources for heat tolerance are available for use in breeding. This research aims to use comprehensive genetic and agronomic approaches to provide breeders with the tools and evidence to select WtmsDW, a newly discovered genetic region that protects pollen fertility and sustains grain yield under heat stress. These tools are expected to significantly boost productivity for the $9.8B Australian wheat industry, benefitting rural communities and industry partners and supporting food security, both directly and through longer-term extension of novel heat tolerance mechanisms to other crop species. Field of research: 0703 - Crop and Pasture Production The value of Australia’s $9.8B wheat industry is increasingly being challenged by environmental stresses that are worsening through climate change. For example, heat effects on grain set in Australian wheat are leading to losses of around $353M per annum. This project will address the need for new heat-tolerant wheat varieties by investigating a genetic region that protects grain set under heat stress. The project aims to identify natural variants of this region that confer the strongest heat-tolerance, and facilitate their introduction into wheat breeding programs. Critically, this research aims to demonstrate the yield benefit of this heat tolerance in multi-site field trials. Support from Australian and international breeding partners will provide clear pathways to adoption by Australian growers. Deployment of this genetic information should limit yield losses due to heat stress, delivering economic and social benefits to Australian rural communities, industry partners, and ultimately improve food security.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2022 · 2022-01

Solving smoke taint: Overcoming the impacts of vineyard exposure to smoke. Vineyard exposure to bushfire smoke can taint grapes, causing significant revenue losses where smoky, ashy characters render wine unsaleable. Smoke taint therefore remains an ongoing threat to the viability of the wine industry. This project aims to safeguard grape and wine quality by building the wine industry’s capacity to predict, mitigate and respond to risk associated with vineyard smoke exposure. Expected outcomes include establishing the mechanism by which smoke compounds are taken up by grapes and the factors that influence their sensory impact on wine. The development of innovative and interdisciplinary strategies for detecting and alleviating smoke taint will deliver important economic benefit to the Australian wine sector. Field of research: 0706 - Horticultural Production The Australian wine industry employs almost 70,000 people (predominantly in regional areas) and contributes more than $45 billion to the Australian economy each year, via domestic sales, exports and wine-related tourism. However, making and selling Australian wine, even in a ‘good’ year, has become increasingly challenging due to climate change; not only due to prolonged drought and heatwaves, but the increasing risk of vineyard exposure to bushfire smoke. In 2020, approximately 4% of the Australian wine grape crop was discarded due to ‘smoke taint’, resulting in revenue losses estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The need for strategies that enable the wine sector to prevent, mitigate and recover from vineyard smoke exposure is paramount. The proposed research will improve our understanding of the effects of smoke on grapevines and develop novel strategies for detecting and mitigating 'smoke taint' in wine. As such, the project has the potential to deliver significant economic benefit to the Australian wine industry, and it is therefore in Australia's national interest.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

A Novel Inline High-Efficiency Motor/Pump System. Around 19% of the world’s and 30% of the Australia’s electric energy is consumed by pump technologies. Significant energy savings are possible if the major components of pump systems, including inverter, motor and pump, operate at their maximum possible efficiency under varying loads. A novel pump design in this project accommodates integrated electronics in a submersible housing. A seal-less design helps mitigate several aspects of pump failure and its in-line structure reduces assembly cost. Accurately measured efficiency maps will be utilised to demonstrate the non-linear relationship between motor and pump quantities as well as developing models for indirectly estimating feedback quantities and achieving the highest system efficiency. Field of research: 0906 - Electrical and Electronic Engineering Throughout Australia, water pumps are used in air conditioners, irrigation systems, swimming pools and many other industry applications which account for about one third of our electricity usage. Technological limitations, such as poor pump and electric motor matching, inefficient operation and mechanical seal breakdowns, result in the use of excessive electricity. This research addresses these limitations by demonstrating efficiency improvements and durability using a novel in-line and seal-less pump design with a submersible variable speed motor technology. Challenging the majority of current pumping systems, this integrated motor-pump system will demonstrate significant efficiency improvements, ease of assembly, reduced maintenance costs and sensor elimination techniques. This technology will be well-suited for local development and manufacturing thus promoting Australian industry. Furthermore, it has the potential to replace many traditional pumping applications and directly utilise renewable energy for regional and remote applications, addressing challenges for clean energy production and electricity consumption.

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2021 · 2021-01

Stability of accessory minerals during low temperature geological processes. The project aims to improve Australia’s ability to discover mineral deposits beneath sedimentary basins by determining whether detrital accessory minerals in sedimentary basins can be an effective exploration tool. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the stability of detrital accessory minerals in the sedimentary cycle using observations from natural rocks and laboratory experiments. Expected outcomes include an assessment of the accessory minerals that are best suited to exploration vectoring studies in sedimentary basins. This should provide significant benefits to government and industry by improving mineral exploration methods and also has implications for geochronology and provenance studies. Field of research: 0403 - Geology Mineral and energy resources are a significant contributor to Australia’s economy. They will continue to be vital as the development of new and sustainable technologies requires increasingly large amounts of base, precious and critical metals. However, there has been a decline in the discovery of new significant mineral deposits because large areas of Australia are covered by younger sedimentary rocks. Developing new approaches to use these sedimentary rocks as an exploration tool is a key challenge. One approach is to use the chemistry of detrital minerals in sedimentary rocks to identify regions of prospectivity. This project will provide the fundamental science required to understand the stability of detrital minerals in sedimentary rocks and the potential for the formation of non-traditional critical metal deposits through the breakdown of detrital minerals. The outcomes of this research will inform the use of detrital minerals as an exploration tool, and thus will be directly applicable to mineral exploration research being undertaken by Australian universities, government and industry.